Although pumpkin muffins are traditionally a fall favorite, there is no reason you can’t enjoy these delicious, lightly spiced muffins all year round. This version is topped with coarse sugar for a decorative touch, but they are just as wonderful plain or with a cream cheese frosting. At Functional Medicine Los Angeles, we often encourage seasonal baking as part of a wholesome, enjoyable lifestyle.
Tip: Make sure you choose 100% pure pumpkin vs. pumpkin pie filling for this recipe because you are already adding sugar and spices to the mix. Choosing quality ingredients is recommended for supporting long-term health.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 c. canola oil
- 2/3 c. water
- 4 eggs
- 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin
- 3½ c. all-purpose flour
- 2 t. baking soda
- 1 t. salt
- 1½ t. cinnamon
- 1 t. nutmeg
- ½ t. cloves
- ½ t. ginger
- ½ c. coarse decorating sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For anyone near functional medicine Burbank, this easy recipe is a great way to bring healthy indulgence into your kitchen.
- Line a muffin pan with 12 regular-sized cupcake liners. Combine sugar, oil, water, eggs, and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl and beat on low for 1 minute. Do not overmix.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add dry mixture to pumpkin batter and beat on low just until all ingredients are moist. This careful blending technique is recommended by Functional Medicine Los Angeles to help preserve the texture and integrity of whole-food ingredients.
- Fill cupcake liners with batter until they are 3/4 full. Bake for 12–15 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle each muffin with coarse decorating sugar. Return to oven to finish baking another 13–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (total baking time should be 25–30 minutes).
- Remove from oven and cool for 5–10 minutes before moving muffins to a wire baking rack to cool completely.